Iwaki, city on northeastern Honshu Island, Japan, in Fukushima Prefecture, on the Pacific Ocean and the Iwaki River. It is a manufacturing center; products include chemicals, machinery, and processed wood. Modern industrial development here began in the late 19th century in association with the exploitation of the Joban Coalfield; by 1976 all of the mines had closed. In 1966 the cities of Iwaki, Joban, Nakoso, Taira, and Uchigo, as well as four towns and five villages, merged to form the city of Iwaki, which at that time was the largest city in Japan in area. Local sights include a medieval barrier station and the Joban Hawaiian Center, a large hot-spring leisure facility. Population (1999) 365,531.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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